Successful Interviews

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Successful Interviews

• Making the most of the interview

2
Aim of the presentation

• To encourage students to approach graduate
  recruitment strategically
• To assist students to assess their skills,
  attributes and aptitude and match with job
  vacancy requirements
• To assist students to improve their graduate job
  interview preparation and performance

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Overview

• Preparing for interviews
• The interview experience
• Your presentation at an interview
• Questions to expect and to ask
• Different types of interview
• Assessment Centre
• Psychometric Tests
• Interview resources

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Interviews

• Interview A meeting with an objective
• Employers objective is to find the best person
  for the job
• Employer reviews candidates experience and
  abilities
• Can you do the job? (skills, abilities,
  qualifications)
• Will you do the job? (interest, attitude
  motivation)
• How will you fit into the organisation?
  (personality)
• You impress employer and assess position on
  offer
• What does this position offer me?
• How does it fit with my career plans?
• You must prove that you are the most suitable
  candidate for this position

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Preparation is the key to success

• Review own skills, experiences and qualities
• Check CV
• Anticipate questions and identify relevant
  examples
• Prepare key selling points
• Research the organisation
• Websites, reports, articles, company literature,
  etc
• Contacts with knowledge of organisation or sector
• Relevant articles in the press
• Personal visit or telephone call
• Research the position and occupational area
• Job description or similar
• Current issues
• Prepare your questions
• Practice

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Practice

• List likely questions
• Brainstorm answers
• In front of a mirror
• Use an audiotape
• Use a video camera
• Practice with friends
• Attend workshop
• Refine technique
• Interview others

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Take your portfolio to job interviews

• Job advertisement
• Duty statement/Position Description
• A hard copy of your job application
• A copy of your resume
• Academic transcripts
• Examples of your work
• References

• Info about the organisation
• Prepared questions
• Location details
• Names of the interviewers
• Anything else requested by the interviewer e.g.
  identification, completed forms

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Interview stages

• Greeting
• Introductions
• Warm up question
• Formal interview
• Invitation to ask questions
• Closing

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Watch the Body Language

• First impressions very powerful
• Halo effect or Devil effect
• Allow time to relax
• Dress appropriately
• Entrance, introductions handshake
• Smile and make eye contact
• Be aware of own movements
• Watch body language of interviewer

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Anticipate the questions

• Get-to-know-you questions
• Technical questions
• Behavioural questions (questions about your
  experience)
• Hypothetical questions

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Typical Questions

• About you
• Tell me about yourself - Bring me up to date
  with your CV?
• Why did you choose that particular degree
  programme?
• What experience have you had that is relevant to
  this post?
• What would you consider your major achievements
  to date?
• About the job
• What interests you about this job?
• What do you know about this organisation?
• What other options are you considering?
• How do you see your career developing 5 years?
• If you were Head of Department, what would be
  your priorities?
• General knowledge
• What do you think of the Governments policy on
  college fees?
• Whats your opinion of the Doomsday Vault
  project?

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Competency-based Interviews

• Company identifies key skills required for job
• Designs questions to elicit evidence of skills
• Emphasis on past behaviour as predictor of
  success
• Teamwork Describe a team project you worked on.
  What problems arose? How did you deal with them?
• Communication Skills Describe situation when you
  had to persuade others to support your view.
  Give an example of any reports youve written
  which illustrate your writing skills
• Interpersonal skills What kinds of people do you
  find it difficult to work with? How do you
  handle those situations?
• Taking Responsibility Describe a time when you
  took responsibility to achieve a challenging goal
• Problem-solving Tell about a time when you had
  several tasks to manage at one time with
  conflicting deadlines.

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Responding to Competency Q - Structuring your
answer

• Q Give me an example of a problem you
  encountered. How did you approach it. What was
  the outcome?
• STAR response
• S Describe the situation
• T Explain the task/problem that arose. Goal?
• A What action did you take? Strategy?
• R What was the result or outcome?
• What did you learn from this experience?

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Matching Skills to Requirements

• Your evidence
• Presentation to class
• Example from team projects
• Class rep, Committee
• Fundraising for charity
• Working in a supermarket
• Designed website
• Business magazines

• Employer needs
• Communication
• Team work
• Leadership
• Initiative
• Customer Care
• IT
• Commercial awareness

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Your Answers

• Listen carefully, seek clarification
• Illustrate answers with real examples and
  evidence
• Be positive constructive criticism
• Keep answers specific and succinct
• Take time to respond
• Be alert to interviewers body language
• Speak clearly, smile and show enthusiasm
• Know what you want to say, and find the
  opportunity

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Qualities Employers Seek

• Good all-round intelligence
• Enthusiasm, commitment and motivation
• Good communication skills
• Team work ability
• Ability to solve problems
• Capacity to work hard
• Initiative and self-reliance
• Balanced personality

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Competencies required by X Company

• Adaptability
• Integrity
• Innovation
• Drive for Results
• Know the Business
• Open Exchange of Information
• Makes Difficult Decisions

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Interview Marking Sheet
Name Mark-max 100
Communication Skills Max 30
Problem Solving Max 20
Team Fit Max 20
Relevant Experience Max 20
Project Management Max 10
Total Marks
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Interview Rating Scale

• Rating 0-5 0no response 5excellent
• Selection Criteria
• Intelligence Academic performance, Questions
• Responsibility Work roles, external activities
• Appearance poise First impressions
• Interpersonal relations Interests, team-roles
• Integrity no inconsistencies
• Self-confidence Relaxed manner, responsible
• Communication skills Articulate, coherent,
  grammar, responsive
• Interests External interests, involvement
• Leadership potential Elective offices,
  initiative
• Interviewing skills Logical thinking, knows
  priorities

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What creates a bad impression

• Poor personal appearance
• Ringing mobile phone
• Negative attitude evasive, using excuses
• Lack of interest and enthusiasm
• Lack of preparation
• Poor knowledge of role
• Failure to give concrete examples of skills
• Over emphasis on money/rewards
• Lack of career plan

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Types Of Interviews

• Rotating
• Like one-to-one with different interviewers
• Via recruitment agency
• Telephone
• Group
• 6-8 candidates
• Group observed while discussing topic
• Be aware of group interaction
• Panel
• 2-5 interviewers, or as many as 13!!
• Try to identify different roles
• Respond to interviewer, include others through
  eye contact
• May involve presentation
• Training/trial days
• Case studies

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Telephone Interviews

• Prepare as thoroughly as for real interview
• Select comfortable, private, quiet place
• Advise flatmates re answering phone
• Have copy of CV and company information
• Have pen and paper at hand
• Prepare for usual interview questions
• Practice on phone
• Record answers
• Try standing
• Smile and use gestures
• Avoid monotones
• Be yourself - dont forget your personality

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Assessment Centres

• Company premises or neutral venue
• Includes social or informal events
• Meeting with recent graduates or managers
• Activities include
• Group exercises
• Practical tasks and exercises
• Report writing
• Oral Presentations
• Psychometric assessments
• Interviews
• Simulates real work environment

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Assessment Centres

• In a group interview or assessment situation
• Contribute but dont dominate
• Be inclusive of other peoples ideas
• Use active listening techniques, clarify input
  from others
• Assist the group to come to decisions
• Summarise at appropriate points
• Ensure someone is keeping an eye on the timing
• Use breaks to build good relations with others
• Treat others as colleagues, not competitors

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Difficult questions

• Take your time
• Ask for clarification
• Use the thinking time
• Structure your response
• Give an example
• Dont bluff

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Psychometric Tests

• Aptitude Tests - measure skills relevant to
  position
• Verbal comprehension - evaluate logic of text
• Numerical reasoning - interpret statistical data
• Diagrammatic reasoning - recognise patterns
• Watch timing complete as many as possible
• Personality Questionnaires
• Look at personality style
• No right or wrong answers
• Be spontaneous, dont try to second-guess
• Tests include built-in checks
• Employers may be looking for different
  personality profiles
• Practice using online tests using websites

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Closing an interview

• Allow the interviewer to signal the close
• Read the signals and obey accordingly!
• Listen carefully for further contact information
  e.g. notification details
• Have some prepared and relevant enquiry if
  invited to ask questions
• Thank each interviewer individually

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After the Interview

• Review own performance
• thank-you email
• what went well
• what went badly
• what you wished you had said
• prepare for next stage
• Invitation to second/final round interviews
• assessment centre
• psychometric testing
• panel interview
• Rejection letter/email
• if you can request feedback - use it

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Common interview questions

• What appeals to you about this job?
• Where is the industry heading in the next 3-5
  years?
• Tell us about a significant achievement
• Describe a time you had to motivate someone to do
  something
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weak spots?
• What is important to you in your work?
• How do you cope with change?
• Why did you choose to study at the University of?
• How do others describe you?
• Why should we select you?

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Case Interviews

• Work on a business problem or estimating exercise
• Perform basic calculations with large numbers
• Structure your answer
• Demonstrate your ability to solve complex
  problems and your analytical thought processes
  and logic
• Can be interactive, ask questions, seek
  clarification, brainstorm
• One on one style interview
• Take notes, use a whiteboard
• The interviewer will observe and answer questions

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Your Questions

• Training programmes
• Career development opportunities
• Types of projects responsibilities
• Reporting structure
• Profile of staff
• Questions about topics raised in interview
• What happens next?

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Questions you could ask

• What are your expectations of the successful
  applicant?
• Does the organisation have a mentoring scheme?
• What are the quality standards for this role?
• How will my work be evaluated?
• Do you support further study?
• Is it possible to rotate through different
  divisions?
• How does your organisation give back to the
  community?
• If I were to be successful for this job, how do
  you suggest I prepare for my first week in the
  role?
• Do you have any questions or concerns about my
  qualifications or experience that I may answer
  for you?

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Example

• Describe a time when you demonstrated high level
  skills in organisation and time management in a
  marketing role
• Situation While on student placement in the
  Careers Centre, my role was to assist the
  Industry Development Manager to organise the 2007
  Careers Fair at the University.
• Task I reviewed and redeveloped the marketing
  strategies to students and
• employers. I also assisted with organising the
  logistics of venue hire, catering, security and
  exhibition hire.
• Action One of the key methods to advertise the
  Fair to students each year is the postcards
  that are mailed out to final year students. I
  designed the postcard this year to fit with the
  theme of Carnivale. The timing of the student
  advertising campaign was scheduled for March and
  April and included the postcards, banners,
  flyers and posters. I used Project Management
  software to plan and manage the scheduling.
• Result Over 80 employers exhibited at the Fair
  which was the largest number to date and over
  2500 students attended. Feedback from both
  employers and students was positive. I received a
  certificate of appreciation for my role in
  organising the student marketing campaign.

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Example

• Describe a time when you demonstrated leadership
  and decision making
• Situation While in my final year I worked on a
  team-based project where we were required to
  produce XXX to industry standards.
• Task There were 5 other students in this team
  and although there was no designated leader, we
  each took on a leadership role. I tended to be
  the team coordinatorensuring tasks were
  allocated according to strengths, progress was
  made and deadlines were met.
• Action I liaised with the academics and industry
  contacts regularly and read widely on the topic
  to provide the broad perspective required of this
  type of project. My ability to analyse
  available data and guide the group in joint
  decision-making was an important element in the
  success of the project.
• Result I have developed skills in managing
  meetings and discussions. We receive a High
  Distinction and presented at a faculty meeting to
  visiting academics and industry
  representatives.

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Handling Nerves

• Everyone gets a bit nervous learn to use your
  adrenalin to advantage
• Practice LISTENING and your interview response
  technique
• Remember that most interview situations are
  supportive
• Tell the panel if you are feeling particularly
  nervous but otherwise dont apologise for being
  nervous
• Take a deep breath and remember to keep breathing
• Keep your talking pace modulated (dont babble!)
• Recognise and manage the physical symptoms e.g.
  sweaty palms, mind goes blank, perspiration, lump
  in throat, butterflies, twitchy hands
• Take application form, notes, resume, reports
• DONT FORGET YOUR PERSONALITY BE YOURSELF!

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Improving Your Interview and Follow up

• Review your resume and application
• Add to your skills audit
• Call and ask for feedback
• Focus on the positive
• Keep improving
• Keep motivated
• Send a thank you note or email if appropriate
• Celebrate!

• Take time out to reflect
• Record the questions they asked
• Record the answers you gave
• Jot down improvements you could make
• Review your preparation
• Review your behaviour and dress
• Talk it over with someone

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Remember

• They are assessing you and you are assessing them
• See the interview as a chance to share
  information
• Not all interviewers are skilled at interviewing
• It takes time to get a job dont give up
• Maintain your energy, set small goals each day
• Have back-up plans
• GOOD LUCK!